Wow, over half the show floor is dedicated to supplements and body care items! I guess more and more people are realizing the wonderful benefits of taking supplements for health, and using natural beauty products instead of loading up their skin with toxic chemicals that are in standard beauty and bodycare products!

The atmosphere is excited - everyone wants to see what the latest items are. Amid that is a lot of talk about the economy and people wondering what choices consumers are going to make with their dollars.

Here is what I am seeing:

• Such high standards now, more than ever, on ingredients. After the scary ingredients coming out of China, most manufacturers are testing their ingredients even more for purity - which is GREAT!
• There is a LOT of attention on the impact of making these natural products on the environment. The natural products industry already has the right foot forward, since they are not using toxic ingredients, but attention is being paid to sustainable sourcing, fair trade involvement, and recyclability of packaging.
• Being "green" is beng touted as a callout on products. You have to wonder how much of that is real and how much is just marketing spin.
• It is all about VALUE now. Value via good sourcing and costing, and VALUES via least environmental impact and making healthy choices for you or your family.
• Lots of concern on how to relate to the Generation Y consumer - apparently there will be 97.8 million of them. In 2010 they will be the entire 18-32 year old demographic in the work force. They are tech dependent, want it (whatever it is) quickly - as in NOW, and they value lifestyles. So the natural and organic products industry is busily figuring out how to attract them and keep them, both as customers and workers!

More about products and trends tomorrow! This is fun! Anne